Fortune Teller
by SamanthaSezs
Summary: Fortune tellers aren't real. They just tell you what you want to hear, and you walk away happy. And sometimes it doesn't happen like that.
1. Chapter 1

_**Tuesday afternoon**_

Linda, Jeanette, Becky and Bridget are walking from the store (sounds like the start of a joke huh?) when Becky first eyes the small trailer advertising a 'famous' fortune teller.

"That wasn't there before, she must have just pulled up." Becky remarks with a gleam in her voice.

"If she's so famous why haven't we heard of her before?" Jeanette ponders.

"Maybe's she's famous in her own mind." Linda giggles.

"Oh, lets get our fortunes read. It'll be fun." Becky excitedly gushes.

"You know my dad doesn't believe in psychics and fortune tellers." Bridget reminds them. 'They aren't real. They just tell you what you want to hear.' To their delight, she repeats his speech, and hand movements, verbatim.

The girls know her 'dad' Head Detective Carlton Lassiter is a force to be reckoned with.

He is an imposing and authoritative figure and Bridget seemed to be one of two who could handle him. He could be very social and friendly when not in the work mindset. Even though her Aunt and Uncle were very protective of her, she was still subject to questioning and punishment, just like any other kid.

"Well I want to hear her tell me anyway. It's just for laughs. Come on." Becky runs over the trailer, with the other three trailing, and knocks on the door.

One by one the girls walk in and get their fortunes told. With the agreement that they won't discuss what was said until they have all been forecasted.

One by one they walk out smiling at their "fortune."

"Oh Bridge, your turn."

"I don't know." She hesitates, knowing her dad would not approve of it, he didn't even like to read horoscopes. Admittedly, she did keep some secrets from him, some for her own good.

This wasn't a good idea. But curiosity won out in the end.

"Come on, we all did. And I told here there were four of us." The girls argue, and finally giving in to peer pressure, Bridge walks and is pushed in at the same time.

About five minutes later Bridget walks out, but she's not smiling at first. Linda is the first one to notice her, she is pale and looks worried. When Bridget sees her friend looking at her she quickly changes into a smile, "gotcha."

On the way home, Bridget is unusually quiet. After the other three girls chatter, telling their tales, its Bridget's turn. "Bridge, earth to Bridge. So what did she tell you?"

She smiles, "oh, the usual. Gonna have a bumpy start to a good career, then it will level off, I'll go through several romances before I find the right one. Pay attention to …" then she trails off as she remembers the session.

_"I've been waiting for you."_

_"Well I got here as fast as I could." Bridget nervously laughs, its an old cop joke._

_The head scarfed woman doesn't laugh. Instead she begins to talk, Bridget is quickly mesmerized by her and seems to be stuck in the chair as she listens. _

_How did this strange woman know those things about her? It had to be some kind of trick, her friends must have told the seer things about her, thats what it was. _

Then conversation in the car quickly changes to the subject of the upcoming prom. The girls and their dates are going as a group.

But Bridget can't get her mind off of the fortune teller, she gets a cold shiver. It's strange she can't remember much about it now, but something bothers her. Maybe the woman was messing with her, putting those thoughts into her mind and that's all it was.

All the way home Bridget keeps telling herself it's not possible to foretell the future. If you keep thinking about it you will decide your own destiny, so in reality you have a hand in forming your own future.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Wednesday afternoon_**

**_-_**

**_-_**

**_-_**

"But Dad" Bridget pleads with Carlton Lassiter.

"I said no."

"But Mom already said yes. Call her if you don't believe me."

"She's on a business trip; we don't need to bother her about something as trivial as this."

"But look" Bridget waves the ticket to the Broadway show in her hand. "She's the one who bought the ticket."

He takes the ticket from her and rips it into several pieces. "Well its no good now is it?"

"How could you?" Bridget cries.

Because I am the adult, Bridget Kathleen, That's why.' Carlton is trying to keep his temper in check. He's had a bad day and he wasn't in the mood to argue. "You still live under my roof and are considered the minor child; you need to follow orders once in a while. One more word and you're grounded for a week."

"But that's not fair" Bridget stomps her feet.

"Two weeks." He yells in response to her stomping.

"But the prom is in two weeks."

"You're pushing for three weeks, as of right now, no cell phone, no car; the only place you will go is to and from school and work. And I will take you to and from work. No going anywhere else and no prom."

"But Dad..."

Then the words came out of Carlton's mouth before he could stop them. He quickly apologized, but it was to late, too late to take them back, to late to stop the pain it caused.

The look on her face and in her eyes...if he had to chose, he would have chosen to be shot rather then to see her suffer the pain from those words.

But it was to late.

Bridget just stood there, speechless, and like a gaping fish, her mouth open and closed a couple of times, no sounds coming out.

"Bridget, I'm sorry, please say something." He pleads.

She quietly turned around and walked to her room. Carlton limply sits down on the couch, holding his head in his hands; he had to figure out how to fix what just happened.

He didn't know how long he sat there before he finally got up and walked to her room, he knocks on her door before walking in "you ok?"

"Yes sir." Her face was flushed and her eyes bloodshot and red rimmed from crying.

He sits on the edge of her bed and puts his arm around her. "I'm sorry, you know I didn't mean it." After a couple of minutes of holding her "Do you want to talk?"

She shakes her head.

"Bridge - -" he is interrupted by the phone.

-

-

-

"I've got a call to go on, I want you to go with me."

He was ready to face an argument, but instead she silently nods, a few minutes later, after grabbing something to eat to take with her, she joins him in the car. He normally doesn't take her with him on calls, but with Tory out of town, he doesn't feel like leaving her alone tonight.

Not a word has been said during the drive to the scene, as soon as they get there, he tells her the same thing he has told her before, stay in the car.

"Who's in the car?" O'Hara asks, with Shawn and Gus at her heels.

"Bridget." He replies coolly.

"Wasn't she going to that broadway show tonight?" Gus asks, because that's where he would like to be right now too, but the tickets had been sold out for months. Bridge was lucky to get to go.

"Was" was another one of Carlton's one word answers. "Now what's going on here?" he changes the subject.

The trio exchange glances, this wasn't good.


	3. Chapter 3

Victoria Lassiter drives home in a good mood. The week of training went well, she learned a lot and she didn't get any negative reports from home. Carlton said everything was running smoothly.

It felt good to get away, but felt even better to come home.

Carlton greets her warmly with hugs and kisses. "Mmmm, I missed you.

"Missed you too."

"We have to pick up Bridge in about an hour."

"Why? Her car's here, something wrong with the car."

"No, nothing wrong her car." Carlton runs his hand through his hair and explains what happened.

She counted to 10, three times, before she could speak without screaming at her husband, even then the words come out rather loud. "Carlton, how could you?"

"I wasn't thinking."

"You weren't thinking? don't you remember me telling you she was going to that show? It was her birthday present."

"I didn't think it was that show. It's been months since we got the tickets."

"Why didn't you call me?"

"I didn't want to bother you, didn't want you to think I couldn't handle things. I don't know." He finally confesses "and I was mad."

"How mad were you?" Tory doesn't like where this conversation is going.

"Well I said something I shouldn't have said."

"What?"

"Honey, I didn't mean it"

"What did you say?" She asks

Suddenly he was afraid of his wife; "I grounded her for two weeks, and…"

"And…"

He spits out the last sentence.

"Carlton how could you?"

"It was an accident. I apologized as soon as I said it."

"Has she said anything?"

"No, she's just being quiet, very quiet."

That wasn't a good sign.

-

-

Bridget sits there, staring out the window, waiting for Uncle to pick her up when she sees the other car drive up. Tory gets out of the car and motions to her. She heads out and gets in the passenger seat.

Bridget gives her a hug. "Aunt Vicky, you're back." Tory notices the relative title has come back.

They quietly sit in the car for a few minutes. "You wanna talk about it,"

"No Ma'am."

"Bridget, you know he didn't mean it. He got angry and he immediately regretted it. People say things in anger and he is sorry. You understand?"

"Yes ma'am." Then she collapses into tears. All Tory could do was hold onto her and let her cry it out.

-

-

Carlton felt so bad about what happened that brought home two of Bridge's favorites, cashews and peach ice cream as a peace offering. She politely thanked him, and hadn't touched either yet.

Tory thought things were smoothed over. But Bridget was as stubborn as the day was long, she took that after his side of the family. He grounded her for two weeks and she was gonna hold him to it.

Tory didn't realize the long-term result of Bridge's action until the next week at the dinner table.

"So the prom is Saturday night, Bridget when is your hair and nail appointment? Do you want me to go with you? Will you have enough time?"

"I'm not going to the prom." She quietly answers with her head down.

There is an awkward silence at the table.

"What?" Tory speaks when she can finally get her voice back; Bridget has planned for this for the past three years. Bridget bypassed going to the prom for her sophomore and junior years, because she wanted her senior year to be special.

"When Uncle grounded me he said no Prom, and he meant **_no_** Prom."

Tory glares at her husband.

"What about the dress? Your date?" Bridget hadn't been happy with any of the dresses she saw in the shops so she asked advice from an older lady she helped a couple of days a week.

The woman was a seamstress and offered to help design and sew it for her. They spent hours putting their heads together coming up with a design.

She modeled it for them when it was finally finished. "Now this is just the dress, it doesn't include the hair style, shoes, makeup and accessories and whatnot. What do you think?" When she gave them a sneak preview "Is it too much or not enough?" She was jittery as she nervously waited for their comments.

Tory and Carlton were pleased, it was fashionable yet modest. "It's beautiful, you will be the belle of the ball." Bridget was glowing at that compliment.

She was growing up but she would still be their little girl.

Carlton's next thought was he was going to follow the group and make sure her date didn't get any ideas.

Tory is shocked. "Why didn't you talk to us?" Tory is sure she can convince her to go and have a good time, it would do Bridget some good to get out and enjoy herself.

"I-I sent the dress and the rest of the stuff to that place that offers the dresses to those girls that can't afford them, I cancelled the hair and nail appointments, and I told Travis I couldn't go and I heard he found another date the same day, that didn't take long. And I told my boss I was available to work that weekend." She pauses, counting on her fingers and contemplates. "I think that covers everything."

Bridget has looked forward this all through high school. She didn't ask for much. And when she wanted something special they gave it consideration and usually said yes.

Like the Broadway show. At first Bridget thought they were kidding when she saw the tickets because it was a school night and she knew they wouldn't let her be out late, so she thought the tickets were for them and she was green with envy. When she found out the tickets were hers, she couldn't stop bouncing up and down, hugging and thanking them endlessly.

"Bridget" Carlton starts. "You were looking forward to it."

"There is nothing more to say about it. I followed orders, like you told me to." She replies icily.

After dinner Tory gives her niece some time "Bridget dear, will you be ok at home for a little while? Your Uncle and I are going to go for a walk."

_"We are?"_ Carlton mouths silently.

_"Yes we are."_ Tory glares as she mouths back. _"Now"_

"Yes ma'am. I'll start on the dishes."

They walked in silence for several minutes before Tory says anything. "There's no way we can change her mind is there?"

"I don't think so. If I had known --I would have- -" Carlton doesn't know how to answer, he feels so helpless. "I don't know what I would have done. I want her to go, but I can't make her."

Tory stops and embraces her husband, leaning into him; no words can make things better. "It's gonna take time."

Tory has seen her niece's mood swings, but this one felt different.

-

-

The digital clock reads 2:34 a.m., again, as Bridget bolts up in bed, struggling to catch her breath. _Calm down, it was just a dream. It's just a panic attack caused by the dream. Calm down before they hear you._

Then she begins the breathing exercises to calm down. Maybe she shouldn't read those suspense novels before going to bed.

She really needed to talk to someone.

-

-

-

"So when do we get to see the prom dress? Is she excited?" Was the first question O'Hara asks as she gets to her desk the next morning. She had been getting reports from Carlton frequently and the big dance was a couple of days away.

"She's not going." He replies coldly while focusing on the paperwork on his desk.

"Why? She's got everything ready. Is she sick? Did the guy dump her?" O'Hara becomes defensive and keeps chattering without waiting for an answer. "Well she's better off without him, she can still go and have a good time."

"O'Hara it's not a topic for discussion." Came Carlton's sharp comeback.

O'Hara steps back in shock, "Sorry, just asking."

Later in Chief Vick's office, Chief Vick innocently asks about the upcoming prom details.

"Since when is my personal life part of the daily report." Carlton barks and with that he storms out of the office.

Chief Vick looks at O'Hara who shrugs, "He almost bit my head off when I asked this morning. I don't know what happened in the last couple of days."


	4. Chapter 4

The dreams come calling for her again.

_She's walking down the now forgotten path; now grass was slowly growing over the well-worn trail that once was used. Others may have forgotten about it, but the path was still obviously there, in her eyes._

_It starts to rain. She knows she should run under that huge tree, its branches reaching out as if to beckon her to its branches, to form an umbrella to cover and protect her from the downpour._

_But she doesn't. She stands there and watches as hears the crack of lightning and sees the tree has been split in three pieces. _

_But she's not scared, a slight smile form on her lips as she turns away and walks slowly down the path again, her soaking wet clothes clinging to her._

_She reaches the crossroads and stops. There are three paths. She can't go any further. _

_'Go ahead, it won't hurt you.' The voice at her side says._

_She doesn't have to turn and look, she knows who it is. The Fortuneteller._

_'I can't.'_

_'Yes you can, you have to.' She feels a pressure at her arm as she is pushed forward to make a decision._

_She wakes up to a panic attack at 2:34 a.m., again. _

_-_

_-_

It was almost 3 a.m. when Carlton Lassiter came home from a late call; he quietly opened the front door so as not to disturb the sleeping family. He thought he had just left the light on in the living room, but he slowly opens the door to find Bridget curled up on the couch. She hasn't done that in years.

He raises his eyebrows in question.

"I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep." She quietly confesses as she sits up, curling her feet underneath her. "I was worried about you."

"Thanks, there was no need to." He takes off his jacket and gun holster.

"I-I know you're tired, but could you sit with me for a few minutes?"

"Of course." He sat on the couch as she repositioned herself and leaned against him. "What's really wrong?"

"I had a bad dream and I was scared."

He strokes her hair. "You're safe here, you always will be."

"I know." Then she starts to cry.

He feels sorry for her. She lives in a fishbowl, people watch her and report back to him. At first he was glad but it became bothersome. Even though they didn't talk about it, she knew.

"If there's anything you need to talk about you know you can talk to us."

Then just as quick, her mood changes again. She nods and wipes her eyes. "Sorry about that, it's late and you need your sleep. " She gives him a quick peck on the cheek and heads to her bedroom.

There was a time she would tell them everything. He wanted so much to get that time back.

Even though he didn't like the idea of it, she needed help, professional help, that he and Tory couldn't give her.

-

-

Bridget was taking a much needed, two-week break from work, from everything; she needs to mentally rest. She's been under a lot of pressure lately. Pressure that her Aunt and Uncle didn't know about.

Maybe that's all she needed, just a break.

Bridget didn't know where she was going as she drove through town, playing the music loud and letting the sun and air flow through the car.

-

-

"Lassiter!" He barks as he answers his phone.

"Detective Lassiter? This is Officer Boyd. Uhm, we need you to meet us."

Lassiter makes it to the scene in record time, followed by O'Hara and Spencer, who jumped in the car at the last minute. He's out of the car, followed by O'Hara, and ran toward the sitting car as Officer Boyd explains what is going on.

"Your niece had car trouble and called roadside assistance, the tow truck driver showed up and he didn't like what he found, so he called us."

"Tell me what happened." He turned to the tow truck driver.

The man was wearing a denim shirt with the name patch '_George_' sewed over the left pocket. "Dispatch got a call about a car problem and they mentioned her name. We know Bridge and didn't want her to be stranded to long, so they moved the call up, made her a priority. She's a good kid."

Carlton was amazed all the people that she knew and lives she touched. It was times like this he should have been glad she was in a fishbowl.

"I get here and find this" he points to the car, "But no Bridge. I called for her for a couple of times, then call her cell phone. Her phone rings right over there." He points to her phone on the ground.

"Then I got back in the truck and call the police and here you are. I didn't touch anything."

_This_ is the keys were still in the ignition, her purse in the passenger floor of the car, apparently untouched, some papers on the passenger seat. Her cell phone was on the ground and one of her sandals a few feet away.

He picks up the cell phone to look at the last number dialed. She was calling him.

He checks his voice mail and her message was waiting. A second or two of silence, then a cryptic "well, that didn't take to long." No sound of fear or panic in her voice. No sounds of a struggle. Just silence as the call was disconnected.

Lassiter made sure Bridget had taken self-defense classes and she knew how to respect and shoot a weapon, because she would always be a target. She wouldn't have been led away without a struggle.

"I'd like to take a look in the trunk, just in case." Officer Boyd reaches for the car door.

""No" Lassiter stops him. "I've got an extra key to her car."

He quickly walks to the trunk and inserts the key into the lock, then pauses. He can't turn the key, he's almost afraid of what he'll finds.

O'Hara notices his reluctance and steps over and opens the trunk to find almost nothing out of the ordinary. An emergency roadside kit, a gym bag and a business card.

_Madame Jacqui__. Advisor of the Stars and Fortunes._

His blood ran cold, what was she doing with that card and how did _that_ woman find her.

He had warned Bridget about the dangers of those fakers, those con artists, and you can bet he was going to have a talk with _Madame Jacqui_.

"I did a cursory quick search, but there was a passing rainstorm before I got here that could have washed away any clues." Officer Boyd interrupts his thought process.

Then her cell phone starts to ring.

Out of habit he answers it.

"Lassiter!"

"Well its about time someone answered her phone." Came a masculine voice. "Wondering how long it would you to get there."

"Who is this?" He barks.

The man laughs. "You need to be nice to me."

"You have exactly five seconds to tell me who the hell you are and why I should be nice to you!" The angry tone of his voice gets the attention of all present.

His face pales as he hears the response, a teary, nervous voice that he recognizes "Uncle Carlton?"


	5. Chapter 5

Bridget knew where she was going, driving through town, playing the music loud and letting the sun and air flow through the car.

Then she can't believe her luck, or lack thereof. Her car is slowing down, The gas gauge registers gas in it, she pushes the accelerator down to the floor but the just car won't go. She turns down the volume on the CD player, puts the car in neutral gear and turns the key the ignition again.

_So close yet so far. Maybe it was a sign that she shouldn't be going there._

She coasts off the road and turns into a small side road that has a slight downgrade. She tries to start the car several more times; but the engine just won't turn over. She finally brakes, puts the car in park, jumps out and pops the hood and pokes around, nothing seems to be loose and its nothing she can figure out. That answers that question.

"Thank goodness for roadside assistance and a cell phone" she tells herself as she digs through the glove compartment to find the number for roadside assistance.

"Yea you can't miss me, I'll be the hysterical woman on the side of the road." She laughs as she talks on the phone.

"_Just stay calm Ma'am." _The customer service attendant recites her written script and tried to sound reassuring._ "Our standard response time is within the hour, but it's usually less than that. Just stay in the car."_

After about 10 minutes of waiting she starts to make another call, and just as the voice mail picks up, a tow truck appears. "That didn't take too long." she says as she disconnects from the call and walks over to driver getting out of the truck.

"You got a problem?" The driver gruffly asks as he closes the distance to her.

"Yeah the car just stopped, and it's not out of gas" stating the obvious because that the first question that she's probably gonna be asked.

She turns to lead the driver to the car when she feels a sharp sting at her shoulder blade, followed by her legs locking up and the rest of her body going stiff.

Her cell phone slips out of her hand as she hits the ground face first.

-

-

-

Bridget wakes up in the dark to a monstrous headache, alternating with naseau and dizziness and cramps in her arms and legs. She tries to move her limbs to get relief, her arms and legs have been bound not to tight so she tries to move them a little relief and the gag has caused a severe case of dry mouth. What she would give for a drink of water right now.

When she is alert enough, she tries to get in a more comfortable position, not moving to fast so she won't get sick, with the gag she could easily choke on her own vomit.

Remembering what her Uncle taught her, observe and try to get away. She listens for what seems like hours, there are no other sounds but her breathing and strained movements. She wiggles around to figure out her confined space. Small closet like space. With her feet she pokes on the walls until she hears a hollow sound, that has to be the door. With what little energy she has she kicks on the door, trying to break it open.

Then without warning the door opens and a dark dressed figure reaches in, grabs her by her shirt, lifts her up, slams her against the wall, then holding one hand against her throat screams "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

His fist connects with her face knocking her down to the floor, then the groping begins and she uses up what little energy she has left to kick and claw at him, trying to scream and beg through the gag for him to stop.


	6. Chapter 6

"Tell me where she is?" Carlton Lassiter has the man pinned against the wall.

"Where who is?" The man, Donnie Cole sarcastically answers with a smirk on his face. "And who is she?"

"Carlton!" O'Hara futile attempts at getting him to stop.

"You know what I'm talking about, you had your friends kidnap her in exchange for your release."

"Nice story detective, what's next? The Little Train That Could?"

"You are trying my patience and so help me I will get you to admit to your role in this. Robbery won't be your only charge."

"Detective Lassiter that's enough." Came the sharp tone from Chief Vick. "In my office now." Lassiter keeps his grip on the prisoner a few more seconds before releasing him.

"You boss is calling you, you need to go, don't want to keep her waiting do you." Donny smugly comments.

"Your niece should really reconsider the crowd she hangs around with." Were his parting words. "This could have been avoided."

-

-

-

She's drowning; she keeps swimming upward and can't break the surface. She can't hold her breath much longer.

She hears muffled voices and then the gush of cold water wakes her up. She sputters as she realizes that someone has poured the water on her, she's not drowning in the ocean.

"Bridget? Bridget wake up." The voice slowly becomes clearer then she slowly opens her eyes and painfully starts to scramble away from the voice. Her arms are now bound behind her. "Slow down you'll wear yourself out. We had to put your hands behind you. You are quite the little fighter aren't you?

"Here" he holds up a bottle of water, "You need to drink something." She shivers as she turns away from the voice and the offer.

"No, it's ok, he won't hurt you anymore. He wasn't supposed to go near you." The voice gets closer. "It was my fault I should have been here."

She cowers into the corner even more. Not an easy feat with the combination of pain she's in, the dizziness and nausea are returning.

"You had a panic attack and you hit your head pretty hard. You might have a concussion, so you need to stay awake for about 4 hours. Can you do that?

She starts to cry as the man gets closer to her, but he doesn't get to close. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. She wasn't supposed to get hurt.

A rough hand reaches out and turns her chin. "Its just a head motion yes or no."

She whimpers as she nods.

"Think about the states and capitals, or even recite the periodic table. You're a smart cookie, you can do that. You need to stay awake."

She painfully nods again.

"Good girl. Now I've got some phone calls to make and I need you to be quiet. Understand?"

She nods and when he is satisfied that she understands he walks out closing the door leaving her alone.

-

-

-

"Detective I can't authorize his release. He's been identified and charged with robbery, and is suspect in others. We have eyewitnesses. How do you know this isn't a joke?"

"Karen he, his friends, have Bridget, I'll do whatever it takes to get her back."

"Do you know that for a fact? You know I can even consider this type of request based on a suspicion."

"They called me, they want to make a trade. Who else would be behind it?"

Chief Vick picks up a paper on her desk. "He hasn't had any visitors or mail, his phone calls are monitored, he hasn't said anything that is deemed suspicious."

We can send in a double, make it a sting operation. We can- -" He is interrupted by the cell phone in his pocket. Bridget's cell phone.

"Yes?"

"Hello again. Miss me?"

"Where are you?"

"Have you considered my offer?"

"Let me talk to her."

"That wasn't the answer I was expecting"

I'll give myself in her place, please just let her go. This is between us." Tory reaches for his hand as they share a glance.

A short pause is followed by "Tempting but no. You wouldn't have as much leverage as she does."

"How do I know you have her? You don't sound like the same guy as before." Carlton was stalling for time.

"Well let's see she has one sandal, you may have the other one, the left shoe I think. Carlton was holding her left sandal as they were talking. "Would you like me to describe what she's wearing? She's a fan of sexy underwear, I figured her to wear more modest underthings, but am quite surprised. A little to risqué if you ask- - "

"If you lay one hand on her…" He hisses through clenched teeth, he can't finish the sentence, he wants to reach through the phone and break him apart.

The voice on the other end of the phone laughs. "Too late for that isn't it?"

Carlton's knuckles go white as he almost crushes the phone in his hands.

"You still haven't answered my question, the sooner Donny is released, and the sooner she is released."

"I can't just let him go."

"Well you need to think of something, don't you? I'll call back later when you've had time to think about it."

The call is ended and Lassiter has the urge to throw something.

-

-

"Detective Lassiter, I'm going to take send you home, you are too involved to be thinking straight. Donny Cole could come after you for assault and brutality."

"But Kar- -"

"It's not a recommendation, it's an order." Then with the softness and compassion in her voice. "We'll find her."

-

-

John hangs up the phone and looks across the room at Bridget. This has been awkward. But the most awkward thing is they know each other and- - it's just that things have gone horribly wrong.

After a couple of hours of making sure she wasn't suffering from a serious concussion, they talked and caught up on things, then came the big question. What the hell is he doing?

He was sure down the road they would look back at this and laugh, but right now he was between the proverbial rock and a hard place.

"Damn, this is not going the way it was suppose to."

Bridget looks up at her captor. "Well neither is trying to eat like this" referring to her bound hands. "Wanna tell me what you were expecting to happen?"

"Look a friend of ours is in jail - - "

"Is he guilty?"

"That's beside the point."

"Ok, do you want my help or not?"

"Will he help?"

"Trust me, Uncle Carlton won't budge."

That surprised him. Head Detective Lassiter had just offered himself in her place and she thought that.

"Things ok?"

She sighs. "We got into a fight a few months ago, it was after I saw Jacqui - -"

"You saw Jacqui?"

"Yea"

"You _talked_ to Jacqui?" He repeats the question; with different words this time to make sure he heard it right.

"Yes, for the third time. I saw her, I talked to her, a couple of months ago and she told me my fortune. She knew who I was, am."

He looks at her in disbelief that's not possible. She's got to be messing with his mind.

"What did she tell you?"

What did she tell her indeed. That's a good question. Bridget remembers something about the three paths and making a choice, once choice.

Bridget shakes her head and quickly changes the subject. "Ok, if I help you, what do I get in return? Remember you're gonna owe me. Big time."

"Yea, I know." He answered absentmindedly.

His is met with silence as she takes in what she didn't want to know, but she could use to her advantage.

"Ok, ok. You're not gonna use this against me are you?"

After a long stretch of silence. She shakes her head. "We can work out a deal. And I can give you a couple of ideas, but it'll cost you. For a few grand I know someone that will come up with an airtight alibi along with receipts and witnesses. For a few more she'll even throw in some kids."

"How do you know her?

"Hey, being a cops kid, you meet all kinds of people."

He looks at her in amazement; she's gone from being the hostage to being a co-conspirator. It's like a different personality has taken over.

"You'd do that for me?"

"No, I'm doing it for me. But first we have to set down some ground rules."

"Like what?"

"How are you going to get the alibi info to him. They'll be screening his calls, correspondence and vistitors."

"We have someone who can pass the info."

"Who is we?"

"Huh?"

"You keep mentioning 'we', who's your silent partner?" She laughs "Someone at the Police Department?"

He looks down and the floor.

Her eyes grow wide. "Oh my god, that's how you knew--, that's how--. I can't believe it. You planned this, finding me wasn't a mistake. That's how you're keeping them informed of what's going on."

"Look calm down before you get sick again."

"You either tell me who it is or you'll be sorry."

"What the hell is your problem?"

"What did you expect from kidnapping me? She lashes out at him, then she calms down. "You're in a stalemate. I can help you."

"I'm not gonna live this down am I?" He screams at her. "I said I'm sorry. Yes, I knew where you were. We, I, didn't think it would come to this. We didn't think he'd be so stubborn."

After taking a few minutes to cool down. John begins to think about it. This might work out after all. "Ok, lets talk, tell me about your 'friend.'"

-

-

-

"Who is the fortuneteller?"

"Madame Jacqui? Shawn where have you been. The family is renowned or were several years ago in the east." Gus pauses. "She's been in seclusion for years. I would love to have her read me."

"TMI Gus, TMI" Shawn raises in hands in defeat.

Tory listens quietly as Gus explain the medium to Shawn. What they don't know is that Madame Jacqui is Bridget's maternal great aunt.

Bridget's mother, Helen, her side of the family has a 'reputation and following' as fortunetellers and mediums. When Helen married Mitchell, she swore off the 'business' and they kept Bridget away from it. Carlton made it perfectly clear that she would have nothing to do with them if they tried to get her involved.

Carlton didn't believe in psychics and fortunetellers that partially explained his animosity towards Spencer. He would never explain why but Tory thinks he had a bad reading once. Bridget knew his feelings about it and that's why it was so surprising to find out she was in contact with her. Then again maybe Bridget was hoping it would help heal the rift between the two of them.

Carlton walks in.

"What is it?"

"I called the family."

"I would have to be a fly on the wall for that conversation."

"After they picked the phone up from the floor, they said Jacqui died seven months ago. He sighs heavily. "She was bedridden for months before that, and there is no way she could have made it here. The rest of the family denies having contact with Bridge.

"But the card?"

"The card is hers and hasn't been used for years."

"She knows how I felt about them, why did she?" He defeatedly admits.

"Because she takes after you." She whispers. "She was trying to make things right."

He looks at his wife, knowing she just made sense. "I just want her back." He holds onto his wife. "I'll do anything to get her back."

-

-

-

"Detective O'Hara, the body is over here."

"Man found near the rest stop. Shot execution style. But he has scratches over his chest and arms. Like he had been in a catfight with a woman, she must've got the upper hand and got away."

Shawn was on her heels and noticed the scratch pattern was like female nails, a female fighting from an attempted attack. He sees the remains of press on nails; French tip nails to be exact. The thought bounced around in his head, and he left it there. No sense in causing them to worry.

But he gives her a Psychic vision about the woman who inflicted the marks.

"Shawn, I don't want Carlton to be in on this just yet. He's got enough on his plate."

"Yea, I know."

O'Hara makes some calls "Contact the local hospitals and clinics and ask it they had a woman come in, victim of possible assault."


	7. Chapter 7

"What do you mean he's being released?" Lassiter almost yells at Chief Vick.

"His attorney has come up with an iron clad alibi and witnesses." Chief Vick explains. "They were having lunch at the time of the robbery. We have to let him go."

"But we've got eyewitnesses that he committed the robbery and he - - his people have Bridget!"

"Detective, we don't know that for sure. It could be someone using his name to their advantage."

"Then why won't they negotiate? Why haven't they called back? I've offered myself in her place and they won't bite. He's the key to this."

"Detective - -"

They are interrupted by a knock at Chief Vick's door. An unrepentant Donny and his Attorney are standing there.

It was a pleasure doing business with you Detective." Donny gives him a smirk of attitude. "Hopefully you'll find who you are looking for and get this mess taken care of."

Lassiter gets in his face. "If you had anything to do with her kidnapping, I'll - - "

"What Detective? You'll do what? Falsely accuse and arrest me again?" He laughs quietly and whispers in Lassiter's ear. "I'd like to see you try and prove it."

"Detective!" Chief Vick's voice stops him in his tracks as his arm starts to tense.

-

-

"Ok, he's being released and should be on the road in a few minutes. You're friend came through. Which means you will be good to go." John tells his attentive hostage.

"Remember what message you need to send and to whom?" She reminds him, unsure if she's really going to be released.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll take care of it."

He turns to pour something in a cup. "Here need you to drink this"

"Why?" a frightened Bridget asks.

"Because we can't let you remember what happened." She stares at the cup. "Dont worry you'll wake up and won't remember a thing. Trust me. You kept your end of the bargain and I keep my promises."

She takes a deep breath and slowly drinks the liquid concoction, the cup is taken away from her as starts to get sleepy and dizzy (and wonders how many other dwarves she can identify with, she giggles.)

Her eyes slowly close and she slumps against the wall.

-

-

"It's been three hours." Lassiter is pacing, he has never felt so helpless. "They said if he was released they'd let her go."

Chief Vick tried to sooth the ruffled feathers. There was nothing more they could do. "There hasn't been any more contact?"

Tory shakes her head as she watches her husband, she feels as helpless as he does. "Why won't they call us? She didn't do anything wrong."

Shawn watches helplessly. He can't come up with anything to help. He sits there thinking when his cell goes off and a text message appears. He reads it a couple of times and smiles.

-

-

_Bridget is walking down the path, she is soaking wet, and she comes to the crossroads. She stands there looking at each path when she feels the presence beside her._

_"I'm not scared." Bridget confidently states._

_"That means you have reached acceptance." The fortune teller tells her. "It won't be long now."_

_-_

_-_

Then she begins to shiver, she is cold and wet. She closes her eyes and feels someone wrapping a sheet around her. She opens her eyes to see a nun kneeling down looking up at her. "Are you alright my child?"

"I wanna go home." The words are barely audible.

"We've called someone for you. Here drink this" She holds out a cup of steaming liquid to her. _Drink this, can't remember._ She shakes her head, hugs herself and shivers under the sheet.

-

-

Shawn makes one of his trademark entrances into Chief Vick's office. "Hallelujah, Hallelujah!. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. I see a figure, Mother Mary."

"Mr. Spencer what are you talking about?"

"The Church" Lassiter and Tory say in unison. "Why didn't we think of that?"

"What?" Chief Vick is curious as Tory runs out the door and Lassiter hugs Spencer then tries to explain just as O'Hara walks in "We got a call from Father Ben at the church he says she, Bridget's there."

"The church, if anything happened she was supposed to go to the church and wait for us, a safe place. But it's been years since we've talked about it."

Tory drives like a mad woman and parks haphazardly in front of the church, doesn't even bother to close the driver door and runs in, they seem to know why she is there. She is quickly escorted to the room where Bridget has been taken for safety. Tory approaches cautiously, not wanting to frighten her anymore than she is.

Tory is stunned still for a minute, she is shocked by Bridge's appearance but can't let her see that. She reaches her side and talks quietly as reaches out to her.

Bridget looks up, fear and tears in her eyes, and calmly says "Mom, it hurts."

"Oh my baby." She can't help but emotionally breaking down and carefully holding her. "It's gonna be ok, we won't let them hurt you again."

Lassiter, O'Hara, Spencer and Guster pull up at the church at almost the same time. They rush into the church to meet by the Priest. He puts his fingers to his lips, motions for them to be silent and beckons them to follow him. Once they get to the door where they are, the priest stops.

"We don't know how or when she got here, but she's hurt and scared. She won't let anyone, especially males, near her to check on her injuries. Bridget let your wife get close enough. She needs medical attention ASAP."

"O'Hara call for an ambulance. I'm going in."

"Carlton, shouldn't - -"

He cuts her off. "No, I need to be there with her."

Carlton slowly walks in and stops, horror etched on his face when he sees the fresh blood stains growing under the sheet covering the whimpering and shivering figure sitting there.


End file.
